Comparing Concierge Medicine Practices in Atlanta, GA
So you want to find the best concierge medicine practice in Atlanta for you. Where do you start?
As the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States, sorting through all the concierge doctors in the Atlanta area can be daunting. From larger practices to smaller practices and solo shops, there are more than enough options to choose from.
PartnerMD is one such option. From our office in Sandy Springs, we provide top-notch concierge care to patients who live in Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs.
We understand that finding the right doctor for yourself and your needs is complicated. We’re here to help. You may not end up picking PartnerMD, and that’s fine.
But hopefully, by providing helpful information in one spot, we can help you and your family find the right partner for your primary care.
Keep reading for a comparison of several concierge medicine practices in the Atlanta area.
Similarities of Concierge Medicine in Atlanta, GA
Before we dive in, it’s important to understand the basics of concierge medicine. It is likely that you will see these features across the board.
- Out-of-pocket membership fee
- Same-day or next-day appointments for sick care
- Little to no waiting at the office
- Longer appointments with your physician
- After-hours care and weekend access
Differences of Concierge Medicine in Atlanta, GA
The features listed above are fairly standard in concierge medicine practices. However, there are some key differences that will likely help you make a final decision. These include:
- Cost of membership
- Size of the practice
- Annual physical options
- Wellness services
- Specifics of after-hours and weekend access
Concierge Medicine Practices in Atlanta
As mentioned before, as a large metro area, your Atlanta concierge medicine options are numerous. It can be overwhelming to even try to get started. But we’ve done the hard part of digging through the information so you can easily compare your options.
Here are the options we’ll be looking at:
- PartnerMD
- Personalized Primary Care Atlanta
- Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C.
- Marc Harrigan, MD | Concierge Medicine of Buckhead
- MDVIP Atlanta
- Sandy Springs Internal Medicine
- WellcomeMD
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: Cost
Nationally, the cost of concierge medicine ranges anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. On the lower end of the spectrum, you’ll find smaller practices. You’ll find what we call luxury medicine or VIP medicine on the higher end of the spectrum.
Provider | Annual Cost |
PartnerMD | $2,300 |
Personalized Primary Care Atlanta | $1,950 for individuals, $3,500 per family (adult couple) |
Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C. | Not publicly available. |
Marc Harrigan, MD (Concierge Medicine of Buckhead) | Not publicly available. |
MDVIP Atlanta | $2,000-$2,200 |
Sandy Springs Internal Medicine | Not publicly available. |
WellcomeMD (Buckhead Medicine) | Not publicly available. |
Some practices also offer discounts for additional adult family members, young adults, and children. For example, at PartnerMD, we offer a discounted rate for additional adults and special rates for young adults ages 22-25 ($91.67 per month) and children ages 6-21 ($62.50 per month.
One thing to keep an eye on as you investigate your option is payment plans. Can you pay monthly, quarterly, or annually? Is the cost different depending on your method of payment? What is the cancellation policy?
At PartnerMD, for example, you can cancel at any time with 30 days’ notice and if you’ve paid ahead, we’ll prorate your money back. This is one of the primary differences between PartnerMD and MDVIP — if you've already received your annual physical for the year at MDVIP, they do not prorate your money back.
Use our online cost calculator to get an idea of what the cost of your concierge medicine membership in Richmond might be.
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: Size of Each Practice
Many concierge practices in Atlanta are solo practitioners, the only doctor in the practice. Others have a partner or two and some have several doctors, physician assistants, and/or nurse practitioners available.
Some are internal medicine doctors, which means they only see adults (usually ages 16 or 18 and up), while others are family medicine doctors – meaning they treat the whole family, from young children (usually age 6 and up) to the elderly.
Provider | Number of Doctors |
PartnerMD | We have three concierge doctors in Sandy Springs — Dr. Jennifer Tutt, Dr. Rakesh Sarma, and Dr. Rob Norris. |
Personalized Primary Care Atlanta | Personalized Primary Care Atlanta has two internal medicine doctors – Dr. Juliet Mavromatis and Dr. Phyllis Tong. Their office is north of downtown Atlanta off I-85 at the N Druid Hills Rd exit. |
Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C. | Dr. Asher is a solo practitioner from her office off Howell Mill Rd Northwest of downtown Atlanta. |
Marc Harrigan, MD (Concierge Medicine of Buckhead) | Dr. Harrigan is a solo practitioner from his office in the Northwest Medical Center off Howell Mill Road. |
MDVIP Atlanta | MDVIP lists 12 internal medicine doctors in the Atlanta area, although they have many more as you expand farther outside the city. These doctors operate independently of each other. |
Sandy Springs Internal Medicine | They have five male internal medicine doctors who practice out of their office in Sandy Springs. |
WellcomeMD (Buckhead Medicine) | WellcomeMD has two physicians in Atlanta — Dr. Edward Espinosa and Dr. Valerie Pershad. Their office is north of Atlanta off Wieuca Rd. |
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: Annual Physical Options
One of the pillars of concierge medicine is more time with your doctor at every appointment and at some form of an expanded annual physical. By getting more out of your physical, you get more insight into the complete picture of your health.
Provider | Annual Physicals |
PartnerMD |
2-Hour Classic Physical charged to health insurance. Almost always covered 100%. Options to upgrade to Enhanced (5-hour) or Signature (8-hour), which provide more advanced lab work through the Cleveland HeartLab, screenings, and consultations for the best in prevention and identification of health risks even before symptoms occur. More information on our advanced physicals is available here. |
Personalized Primary Care Atlanta | They offer an Annual Comprehensive Health Assessment with standard physical exam lab work that is typically covered by insurance. They also offer Extended Laboratory Preventive Screening Lab Work, which is built into your membership fee. |
Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C. | Dr. Asher’s Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment is approximately 60 minutes. |
Marc Harrigan, MD (Concierge Medicine of Buckhead) | Dr. Harrigan’s Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment is approximately 60 minutes. |
MDVIP Atlanta | MDVIP’s Wellness Program includes their version of an annual physical and is included in the cost of the membership. |
Sandy Springs Internal Medicine | Their physical includes wellness screenings such as the Framingham Cardiovascular Risk Assessment, the Epworth Sleep Index, the Beck Anxiety Index, as well as expanded laboratory testing. |
WellcomeMD (Buckhead Medicine) | "Thorough annual physical examination" included with membership. |
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: Wellness Services
Some concierge doctors in Atlanta focus entirely on providing concierge-level primary care. Their main goal is to make it as easy as possible to get the care you need when you need it.
However, some concierge practices do take it to the next level and offer wellness services as a preventive tool to help you achieve and maintain optimal health (I.e. get sick less).
Provider | Health Coaching | Wellness Programs |
PartnerMD | One-on-one access to on-staff, certified health coaches is included with membership. | Access to Wellness University, a comprehensive platform that features more than 70 courses on nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep, and cognitive health is included in the cost of your membership. |
Personalized Primary Care Atlanta | Not offered. | Not offered. |
Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
Marc Harrigan, MD (Concierge Medicine of Buckhead) | Not offered. | Not offered. |
MDVIP Atlanta | Not offered. | Wellness Program is centered on the advanced annual physical (discussed above) and is coordinated with the doctor. |
Sandy Springs Internal Medicine | Not offered. | Not offered. |
WellcomeMD | Yes. | Not offered. |
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: After-Hours Care
Some form of after-hours is standard at almost every concierge medicine practice. Knowing you will get the care you need when you need it is one of the main pros of concierge medicine.
However, how practices offer after-hours care can differ. Some practices guarantee 24/7 access to your specific doctor. Others guarantee access to a doctor within the same practice. Some use a third-party service or a nurse line to triage after-hours calls.
Provider | After-Hours Care |
PartnerMD | 24/7 access to a PartnerMD physician in your area. Our doctors split their time handling after-hours, weekend, and holiday coverage. |
Personalized Primary Care Atlanta | They offer 24/7 cell phone access. No information is provided publicly on coverage when unavailable. |
Juliet Asher, M.D., P.C. | Dr. Asher is available by phone 24/7 and responds to emails within 24 hours. When she is unavailable or out of town, she enlists another doctor to cover for her. |
Marc Harrigan, MD (Concierge Medicine of Buckhead) | Dr. Harrigan is available 24/7 by phone. When unavailable, Dr. Harrigan enlists another doctor to cover for him. |
MDVIP Atlanta | Doctors at MDVIP provide 24/7 access for their patients via pager, phone, or email after hours, on weekends, or on a holiday. If on vacation, their doctors arrange for another doctor to provide coverage. |
Sandy Springs Internal Medicine | They provide 24/7 access to your physician. When they are otherwise unavailable, another doctor will cover for them. |
WellcomeMD | 24/7 access to your physician via phone or email. |
These are the top similarities and differences among concierge doctors in the Atlanta area. If you’re looking to choose the right concierge doctor, you’ll want to figure out what’s important to you.
Our advice? Find a few, schedule some tours to meet the doctors, and see if you can find a fit for what you’re looking for.
Concierge Medicine in Atlanta: Take the Next Step
As with any major healthcare decision, we encourage you to check out your options. Invest time with each concierge medicine practice to make sure you find the right fit. You can learn more about membership at PartnerMD on our website.
If you’re ready to check out PartnerMD Sandy Springs, schedule a visit with our team.